New Bedford's Kevin Cobbs up for the challenge

It's graduation night for Kevin Cobbs as he steps up for his first six-round bout Thursday night, and it couldn't come fast enough as far as Cobbs is concerned.

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By BOB HANNA

southcoasttoday.com

By BOB HANNA

Posted Nov. 28, 2012 at 12:01 AM

By BOB HANNA
Posted Nov. 28, 2012 at 12:01 AM

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It's graduation night for Kevin Cobbs as he steps up for his first six-round bout Thursday night, and it couldn't come fast enough as far as Cobbs is concerned.

"I'm really happy to be moving up to six-rounders," he said the other night before winding down his training at the Heart gym in New Bedford. "If I had those two extra rounds in some of the fights I've had, I think I could have knocked the guy out.

"I've been getting stronger as the rounds go by. Now I can study my opponent a little more, especially in this fight because I don't know much about my opponent."

The New Bedford light heavyweight takes on Tylone Burris of Hartford in a six-round battle of unbeatens on the undercard of the Peter Manfredo Jr.-Rayco Saunders main event at the Twin River Casino in Lincoln, R.I. Cobbs is 6-0 with two knockouts, while Burris is 3-0 with two knockouts.

"I've heard that (Burris) was a pretty good amateur and has fought some pretty good fighters, and that he's a slick boxer, but that's about it," said Cobbs, who still gets a little nervous before a fight.

"I didn't have the biggest amateur career, so I haven't been at this for very long," he noted. "I was just starting to feel comfortable in my last two amateur fights. Then I turned pro and the nerves came up again."

That's not to say he lacks confidence.

"I'm ready," he said. "I'm ready for whoever they put in front of me. This is my job; this is what I do. I have to be ready. The one thing I do know is that I'll come out of this fight with a win."

He passed his first real test in his last bout last month when he scored an impressive fourth-round knockout over a more experienced Alexander Mancera of Queens, N.Y. (8-5), also at the Twin River arena.

Working Cobbs' corner Thursday night as usual will be Fall River trainer Libby Medeiros and former world class contender "Sucra" Ray Oliveira.

In the main event, Peter "The Pride of Providence" Manfredo Jr. launches a comeback after a short-lived retirement against Pittsburgh veteran Saunders (22-18-2).

Manfredo's last fight was last November when he was stopped by then WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez in the fifth round in a second bid for a world title. His other title shot was in 2007 when he was stopped by super middleweight champion Joey Calzaghe.

Also on the card Thursday night will be Vladine Biosse (14-1-1), making his first ring appearance since last July, in a six-round super middleweight co-feature.